Our family holiday this year took us to the Greek Island of Lesvos, located just off the coast of west Turkey. It had been many years since we last visited this beautiful island that holds a host of good birds. Although the holiday was not what I call a “Birding Holiday”, there was plenty of […]
Barrie & I decide to spend the day at the fabulous RSPB reserve at Frampton marsh in Lincolnshire. A Black-winged Stilt had been present the previous day, but alas had gone over-night as had the 1st winter Snowy Owl at nearby Freiston Shore reserve. Nevertheless we had some good birds – 4 Garganey; Little Stint;
We spent the May Day holiday at the fantastic “Falconry Experience Wales”, located near Machynlleth, Powys, with Barry and Luce. They were both extremely knowledgeable about their birds of prey which made the day very interesting. We met several stunning birds including Bald Eagle, Eastern Golden Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, Lanner X Falcon, White-faced Scops Owl
A first winter Green Heron, a North American species and a rare vagrant to Britain, had been found in a garden in the small Pembrokeshire village of Narberth. The bird had taken up residence in a large pond in the garden of a local resident, who kindly opened up his premises to visiting birders. The
I always look forward to a spring ramble round the excellent Anglian Bird Watching Centre Reserve at Eggleton, Rutland Water. Today was very sunny and warm and there were plenty of migrant warblers singing, a Nightingale in full song was a nice bonus and plenty of newly arrived Common Terns. What was surprising, was how
On Sunday 15th of April there was an obvious influx of Little Gull in Derbyshire and the surrounding counties. A flock of 14 was found at Willington Gravel Pits during the early morning and I spent several hours at my local patch in the hope of finding an odd one there, but with no luck.
Last weekend (8th April) a photograph of a Bittern, taken at Carlton Marsh in Suffolk, was posted on Social Media. It was very quickly re-identified as an American Bittern, an extremely rare vagrant to our shores. I last saw an American Bittern in the 1990’s, when one was at Marton Mere, near Blackpool, in Lancashire.
We spent our Easter break in Northumberland, at Bamburgh. Despite some atrocious weather, Sunday turned out to be a superb day of weather and managed a few birds whilst out and about in the general area. A stunning coast line between Bamburgh and Newton-by-the-Sea. Best birds were Grey Phalarope, 2 self find Black Redstarts, including
